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I design modern houses... anywhere in the country.
I am licensed.
I stand for the highest quality of construction.
I have extensive residential experience.
I am practical and down to earth.
I have a sense of humor.
I love what I do.
I want work.
If you have the bucks, start building spec houses that shows your abilities. I was a member of the AIA at one time in my early career. I ended up in the building materials industry and later an engineer in the building industry and lastly a tribologist. Most folks with their degrees that are actually in the profession are folks that have a family member that is already in the business with a customer base to draw from. To start new in the field is nearly impossible today especially in todays building market. If you don't have a gimmick or a customer base, you're working for someone else at cheap, cheap wages considering the amount of knowledge and education required.
FWIW, I have saved folks hundreds of thousands of dollars on their homes via design and I've yet to have one client buy me a soda. Strange how they'll empty their pockets at a restaurant even for lousy service but the folks that save them thousands rarely even get a thank you. It was the same when I was building houses.
The first thing to get actual real living and breathing clients is to have an economy that is building new homes. And since new home construction is virtually non existent today then good luck. And since 30 year mortgages are going extinct and few wishful buyers have good enough credit to buy anymore then the future of our industry is very very bleak.
Oh and those great things you claim why you are special? Everyone else claims the same thing. And there are many many Architects on the unemployment lines these days too, just as any other worker even remotely related to the construction trades.
What does an Architect have to do...
to get single family residential clients?
You have to market/advertise yourself. And C-D is not the place; nor do the rule allow you to do so- even if yours is a bit underhanded.
I design modern houses... anywhere in the country.
"Anywhere in the country"? You mean your computer?
I am licensed.
We would all hope so
I stand for the highest quality of construction.
Every client I'm sure would appreciate that- however, it's the client's money. And not every GC is going to follow an architect's guidelines when the local building department says, NO!
I have extensive residential experience.
Meaning- you've worked as an intern for many years?
I am practical and down to earth.
This is how you market yourself?
I have a sense of humor.
In this day and age- everybody needs one.
I love what I do.
*They say the best job in the world is the job that you would do for free.
I want work.
What you really meant to say is, "I got fired" or "I got laid-off" and I have bills to pay.
and
I work for peanuts.
See * above.
It's a harsh reality- and everyone in some shape or another is also suffering their own missteps or recessionary short-comings. Not everyone will come out unscaved as we already know. You have to make yourself the creme-de-la-creme.
Good Luck on your quest-
Network!
It's a harsh reality- and everyone in some shape or another is also suffering their own missteps or recessionary short-comings. Not everyone will come out unscaved as we already know. You have to make yourself the creme-de-la-creme.
Good Luck on your quest-
Network!
Good one. You said what I did only better. Only one thing I don't agree with. These are not recessionary times. By all neutral non government statistics, we are in a full blown depression. Probably worse then the first great depression of 1928. Other then that I agree with all your answers to the Architect who will likely never post again.
I am fortunate to have, among my friends, about a dozen licensed architects. Some I know from my work in real estate, others because of work that my does, and still others just from being neighbors.
Of those only one makes a full time living working primarily on residential projects and of those project he admits that "make over & additions" have paid the bills in all but the brief period when so many new homes were being constructed that he did have enough hours in a week to do "smaller" projects.
The reality is the MOST architects that are employed these days are far more likely to be doing some aspect of budgetary / project management oversight than "design". If you do have the ability to work on the largely commercial projects (which includes everything from civic structures to multifamily to offices / retail...) and MARKET yourself to both home owners AND builders / contractors you can probably "build a practice" over time until you eventually can afford to concentrate on design work.
As far as how to market one's self the first step pretty much has to be building a web site that is HEAVY on the "before & after" type stuff that tends to draw in home owners. If you are not the kind of person that has "hands on" experience with doing renovations then you really need to get creative -- team-up with builders / contractors that might be aware of the advances in more "energy efficient" designs / features that currently more consumers are excited by, partner with landscapers / outdoor living area firms to build potential clients that may want to renovate interiors / build additions, introduce yourself to local real estate offices, especially those that sell a significant number of older homes that may good candidates for renovation...
There is a bit a "salesmanship" needed to make it -- not the "hard sell" type of thing, but of building a set of contacts so that you get lots of referrals. Sad reality is some of the referrals will NOT work out -- folks really just pumping you for ideas and not ready to commit to even a small renovation, folks that really don't mind "spending more and getting less" from some big company that has logos and 'guarantees" that little guys do not...
I agree that having "an in" is HUGE -- for some folks that does mean "family", for others it may be a special "faculty mentor", still others it is just a great couple of clients that help you get connected to others that are in a position to want / afford a custom designed house / addition...
Look around and take a guess at how many dentists or chiropractors or other professionals in the "personal services" businesses market themselves...
No, I have a good job. Just looking to break off onto my own.
The Building Dept has nothing to do with quality control. Quality can be had on any budget. Are you not used to building correctly?
I've worked in other states by applying for temp licensing for single projects. Planes take people places. Alternatively, there are cars.
If a GC cuts corners on my watch, the GC starts over. Perhaps you have worked with bad architects in the past, but I assure you, I design everything from window flashing to weep holes- and you redo them when you mess up.
Technically, anyone who works in an office while unlicensed is an intern. 75 percent of project managers are unlicensed. You can have 40 years experience and be an intern. I am licensed. You have no point.
I am fortunate to have, among my friends, about a dozen licensed architects. Some I know from my work in real estate, others because of work that my does, and still others just from being neighbors.
Of those only one makes a full time living working primarily on residential projects and of those project he admits that "make over & additions" have paid the bills in all but the brief period when so many new homes were being constructed that he did have enough hours in a week to do "smaller" projects.
The reality is the MOST architects that are employed these days are far more likely to be doing some aspect of budgetary / project management oversight than "design". If you do have the ability to work on the largely commercial projects (which includes everything from civic structures to multifamily to offices / retail...) and MARKET yourself to both home owners AND builders / contractors you can probably "build a practice" over time until you eventually can afford to concentrate on design work.
As far as how to market one's self the first step pretty much has to be building a web site that is HEAVY on the "before & after" type stuff that tends to draw in home owners. If you are not the kind of person that has "hands on" experience with doing renovations then you really need to get creative -- team-up with builders / contractors that might be aware of the advances in more "energy efficient" designs / features that currently more consumers are excited by, partner with landscapers / outdoor living area firms to build potential clients that may want to renovate interiors / build additions, introduce yourself to local real estate offices, especially those that sell a significant number of older homes that may good candidates for renovation...
There is a bit a "salesmanship" needed to make it -- not the "hard sell" type of thing, but of building a set of contacts so that you get lots of referrals. Sad reality is some of the referrals will NOT work out -- folks really just pumping you for ideas and not ready to commit to even a small renovation, folks that really don't mind "spending more and getting less" from some big company that has logos and 'guarantees" that little guys do not...
I agree that having "an in" is HUGE -- for some folks that does mean "family", for others it may be a special "faculty mentor", still others it is just a great couple of clients that help you get connected to others that are in a position to want / afford a custom designed house / addition...
Look around and take a guess at how many dentists or chiropractors or other professionals in the "personal services" businesses market themselves...
I hear you- thanks for the reply. I am in the high end residential field. My clients are all the 1 percenters!
I design modern houses... anywhere in the country.
I am licensed.
I stand for the highest quality of construction.
I have extensive residential experience.
I am practical and down to earth.
I have a sense of humor.
I love what I do.
I want work.
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